Island



No. 619,035. Patented Feb. 7, I399.

T. CRADUOCK.

KEY FASTENER.

(Application filed Apr. 23, 1898.)

' (No Madel.)

mmmmmml! 1 l I SIWUW f 7770 22Q5 Gzzakhci UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS ORADDOOK, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

KEY-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'Patent No. 619,035, dated February7, 1899.

Application filed April 23, 1898.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS ORADDOOK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of'RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inKey-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to improvements in key-fasteners, and has for itsobject to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this characterwhich may be conveniently carried in the pocket and applied to adoor-key to prevent the same from being turned by unauthorized personsfrom the opposite side of the door to retract the bolt.

A further object is to provide a portable key-fastener which may beapplied for use without injuring or marring the appearance of the dooror look, which comprises few parts, and which, in addition to itsfunction as a keyfastener, is adapted for use as a key chain and ring.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,as will be hereinafter more fully described, and specifically set forthin the appended claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a door, showing myinvention applied to a key to lock the same against rotation. Fig. 2 isa side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of thekey-fastener detached. Fig. at is a detail view of the lock-plate.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like letters ofreference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, Arepresents a portionof a door, B the knob of an ordinary mortise-lock,and O a key which, as shown in the drawings, is inserted in the keyholeand turned to hold the bolt projected.

The fastener consists of a rectangular locking-plate D, provided at oneend, adjacent to one ofits side edges d,with a shank E,the outer end ofwhich is formed with a rearwardlyspring tongue G, which extends parallelwith the said side edge d of the plate and is formed at its opposite endwith lateral ears 9. These ears lap over upon the opposite sides of theplate and fit into recesses therein and are rigidly secu red thereto byriveting or otherwise. I

The locking-plate is formed adjacent to its side edges d d and atopposite ends thereof with openings h h. Into the opening his fitted asmall ring 2' on one end of an open-link chain 1, and into the opening his fitted a large split ring j, secured to the opposite end of saidchain. This chain is made long enough for application to different formsof locks, in which the distance from the keyhole to the knob varies.

The manner of applying the fastener is as follows: After the bolt of thelock has been projected to engage with the keeper to hold the doorlocked the key is turned to the position shown in Fig. l, in which itsbow extends transversely of the keyhole. The shank E of thelocking-plate is then passed upwardly through the how, the chain loopedover the sleeve or shank of the knob B and drawn taut, and finally oneof the' links of said chain is engaged with the hook f. Thespring-tongue opens during this operation to allow the link to'enter andthen closes to retain said link. WVhen this is done, the end edge (1 ofthe locking-plate extends into the path of the bow and constitutes astop to prevent the key from being turned to the right to retract thelock-bolt. The key Will thus be positively held against rotation byexterior manipulation and the fastener supported in such manner that itcan not be accidentally released by shocks or jars or by means of toolsinserted through the keyhole.

From the above description, taken in connection With the accompanyingdrawings, the construction and operation of my invention will be readilyunderstood, and it will be seen that it provides a key-fastener which issim- V ture of an ordinary key-ring to hold small keys.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction maybe made Within the scope of the invention without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new anduseful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A key-fastener consisting of a lockingplate provided with a shankadapted to be inserted through the bow of a key and formed with a hook,and an open-link chain connected with the plate and adapted to be loopedover the sleeve or shank of a doorknob and to be engaged by one of itslinks with said hook, substantially as described.

2. A key-fastener consisting of a lockingplate provided at one endadjacent to one of its side edges with a shank adapted to be passedthrough the bow of a key so that said end of the plate will bear againstthe bow,v

and a chain connected at its opposite ends to the plateand adapted to belooped over the sleeve or shank of a door-knob and secured by one of itslinks to said hook, substantially as described.

3. In a key-fastener, the combination of a locking-plate provided at oneend adjacent to one of its side edges with a shank formed at its outerend with a hook, a spring-tongue secured at one end to the plate andhaving its free end bearing against the inner side of the hook, a splitring fitted loosely in an opening in the plate, and an open-link chainconnected at one end to the plate and at the other end to said ring,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS CRADDOOK. Witnesses:

GEORGIE E. KEENAN, LUoY E. COREY.

